A Garden Beyond Time
by Rene Fleur
Summary: The tale of how Peter locked Time and Death out of his perfect Playground, Neverland.


I woke up one morning and this story was in my head. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer- I do not own Peter Pan or Neverland. Thank you.

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Neverland was sleeping quietly, the breezes were calm and gentle as they danced slowly through the trees, helping to sooth the animals and birds that made Neverland their home. The Indians were sleeping soundly in their camp, the remnants of a feast spread in front of the ashes of a large bonfire that was still barely smoking. The Lost Boys were also asleep, soothed by small music box they had found on Hook's ship a few days earlier. Peter had stolen it and was entranced for a while by the hauntingly peaceful melody that echoed from it whenever it was opened.

The only thing that stirred the waters of the Mermaid's Lagoon was a single sentry mermaid, her red hair glinting in the moonlight as she swam in slow circles about the edges of the lagoon, every so often looking up at the stars, every so often thinking that she saw someone looking back. But then the thought drifted away on the currents and she continued her slow circle. Indeed, one might wonder what would have happened if she knew that she had been right?

Father Time leaned on his staff, his body now old and weathered due to it being deep in the throes of winter in the world beyond Neverland. He chuckled softly as he watched a rum bottle slip from the sleeping Noodler's fingers as he snored up in the crow's nest of the Jolly Roger. His feet kept to one side of a line that had been drawn in the sky. The line continued in a ring about the clouds and star of Neverland, a childish boundary that Father Time smiled at wistfully as he continued to watch the sleeping inhabitants of Neverland.

"Father?" came a sweet voice from behind him. He turned and smiled at the beautiful yet ageless woman who seemed to walk on the stars and stardust as she made her way over to the line in the sky. Clasped in her gentle arms were two thylacines, sleeping peacefully as Mother Nature carried them softly. "Come to look upon the one place forbidden you?" she asked with a soft smile, her feet crossing the line easily. Father Time smiled with a soft chuckle.

"Indeed..." he said quietly as Mother Nature descended through the sky, her feet lightly touching the shore. She softly set the two thylacines upon the sands, kissing the tops of their heads as she softly released them. They yawned and moved until they were more comfortable in the sands, then they continued to sleep, one laying his head across the back of his mate. Mother Nature smiled softly, then rose in the sky again, her bare feet once more crossing the childish border unhindered. "Another to be extinct species?" he asked quietly, looking down at the thylacines as they slept peacefully in the protective air of Neverland.

Mother Nature nodded, her ageless face creasing slightly as she looked down upon them sadly. "Yes." she whispered, a small tear pricking at the corner of her eye. Time slowly raised an aged hand and wiped it from her eye softly, an understanding smile on his face. "At least these two will be safe now." she said, gifting him with a thankful smile. "No hunter can follow them here."

Time felt a smile cross his face as he looked at her. "I swear, you get more beautiful with each day." he said quietly, looking at the way stardust landed on her silken strands of brown hair, the way it glittered on her cheek. She laughed sweetly and planted a swift kiss on his cheek.

"You say the same thing every time I see you." she said fondly, smiling at Time. "One might almost think that you say it out of habit." The twinkling of her earthy green eyes told him that she was teasing him and he chuckled.

"Fair journey to you, Mother." he said as she turned and started to walk back to the place beyond Neverland.

"Fair journey to you, Father." she replied, a smile gracing her face when she turned back to look at him, then the clouds of the night closed behind her and she was lost to his sight. He gave a quiet sigh and shifted slightly on the air, his feet demanding a more comfortable position. Small golden lights danced through the trees in one section of the jungle; a fairies ball must be underway. His eyes grew thoughtful as his mind drifted to his memory on how Neverland had come to be.

It had always been there, of course. A paradise for birds, animals, plants...it was a veritable Eden for those who feared the end of their time. Neverland was free from all constraints of the world, no man had ever tread it's pristine shores. The species could live and thrive free from fear of being hunted. Mother Nature's own garden, some of them had called it. Then...when Man had first come to the World, fairies had started to appear. The first baby's laugh had birthed fairies, and they made their home in this paradise, drawn by it's purity and it's opportunities. They rarely travelled outside of the air of their home, but often enough that Man knew of them and wrote stories about them.

Then...one day...a fairy brought a human child to the garden sanctuary. A baby. No-one had known what to do. A human? In the garden between the worlds? He couldn't stay. He had to stay. Let him decide if he wanted to stay. Everyone had a different opinion. And while they were debating, the Child grew up, cared for and nurtured by the fairies. He started calling himself Peter, Peter Pan, flying about the garden jungle with joyous laughter and the crowing of a rooster. When they had finally reached a decision, it was too late. The boy was old enough to think for himself and he did not want to leave. In fact...he wanted to be with Neverland forever.

He had come into the sky, past their border and he had come to their meeting. He had been blessed by the fairies as he had grown older; his eyes could see what no other human could see, he could fly without the constant use of the pixies dust. He was cocky, he was arrogant, he was flightly and full of laughter. Just like the fairies. He had made demands of them. No longer could Time make him grow old. He always wanted to be a little boy and to have fun! The garden was also to be off-limits to him. Peter wanted it to stay the way that it was, no changes. None.

"But that would mean," Time had said, stroking his sunny blonde beard (it had been the middle of summer, then). "That my old friend cannot enter as well." He had gestured across the table to a figure who's long silver locks framed a skull-like visage, his clothes all the same shade of deep black. Death's slanted black-blue eyes met the bright blue eyes of the boy. "Now, he needs to come and-"

"He can't come either." Peter had said, arms crossed stubbornly. "No-one can grow old and no-one can die in Neverland." In Peter's mind, that was the end of it but it was also the first time the name popped into his head. Death had stood, his eyes flashing, a finger raised to Peter. Peter suddenly darted away and drew the gold colored dagger at his side. Suddenly the boundary had been drawn. "You can't cross!" Peter had shouted, arms folded over his chest defiantly. Death had chuckled lowly and started to move towards the cocky boy on the other side of the drawn line.

But he could not cross. Something prevented him from crossing that line drawn in the sky. He could not even reach his thin hand across it. "What have you done?" he had asked the boy who stood triumphantly in the sky, letting out a crow to the sun.

"You can't cross!" Peter taunted in his boyish manner, his skeleton leaves glittering in the star dust that laced the air. "You can't cross!" He let out another proud crow to the sky.

Time quickly stood and strode over. But he couldn't cross the border either. The other mortals stood, each one slightly frightened. They all tried their luck in crossing the line in the sky. Each and every one could cross...save Time and Death. Death's pale skin drew tighter over his skull, the bone underneath standing out in sharp relief in his fury. He tried again to step over the line, but something held him back.

Peter had laughed and performed cartwheels in the air, beaming like the sun....

Time shook his head to dislodge his dreams and memories. As he had been reminiscing, Neverland had gone through a day cycle and was once more blanketed in night.

"Hello, my old friend." he said to the figure that stood beside him, his silver curls tugging slightly in the ocean breeze that wafted from Neverland.

"Hello to you, Time." said Death quietly, his face fleshed out and rather handsome, his slanted black-blue eyes gazing down at the slumbering garden of Neverland. Time smiled.

"Need the boy's help again?"

Death's brow creased slightly. "Why else would I be here?" he asked, a hint of tension in his voice.

"Oh, I don't know." said Time with a smile. "To reminisce?"

"What would I have to reminisce about here? The time a fairies' child managed to trick us Immortals?" Death mused, his eyes remaining locked on the Neverland star. "That wasn't exactly our best hour."

"Yes, but...it does make for a good story." said Time, watching a small boy fly up through the clouds, ducking cannon balls that seemed to drop from the sky before they reached the enchanted barrier. He flew up to them and grinned cockily.

"Hiya, fellas!" said Peter, his wispy blonde hair flopping into his eyes. Death merely gave him a look, then turned and started to walk away. "Oh, okay! Coming!" shouted Peter, blasting past Time to follow Death the bedside of a child who was about to pass on. Time watched them until the clouds and stars once more blotted out their figures.

He looked back down at Neverland...with it's fairies and mermaids, rare creatures and plants, the constant snow on one part of the island, sunny on all the rest. Pirates in the cove, Indians on the plains...it was a paradise where adventure thrived and children couldn't grow up. It would make for a very good story...

He chuckled once more, then turned and walked from the line in the sky...leaving Neverland just the way it was...and always will be.

Second star to the right, and straight on to morning. As Peter liked to say.

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It's been a while since I've been inspired like this. Please be kind in your reviews. *bows* Thank you for reading.


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